Stationary exerciser

ABSTRACT

A stationary exerciser includes two handles pivotally coupled to an upright support of a base, two foot supports each having a front portion coupled to the handles and moveable in a reciprocating action relative to the base and a rear portion coupled to a post of the base with two cranks, two links pivotally coupled between the cranks and the rear portions of the foot supports for allowing the rear portions of the foot supports to be swung relative to the cranks and the base, and a connecting device may connect the foot supports to the cranks for determining a movement of the foot supports relative to the base, and may adjust the moving strokes of the rear portions of the foot supports.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a stationary exerciser, and more particularly to a stationary exerciser including an improved structure for allowing the rear portion of the stationary exerciser to be moved in different moving strokes.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Typical stationary exercisers comprise a pair of foot supports or foot engaging links each having a rear end supported for rotational motion about a pivot axis and a front end guided in a reciprocal path of travel and for allowing the foot engaging links to move in an elliptical moving stroke.

For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,242,343 to Miller discloses one of the typical stationary exercisers comprising a combination of foot link motions permitting the users foot to travel in an inclined, oval path of travel, and two foot engaging links each having a front end guided in a reciprocal path of travel.

However, the rear ends of the foot engaging links are guided to move in a circular moving path that is determined by the pair of rotatable cranks.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,759,135 to Chen discloses another typical stationary exerciser comprising a pair of tubes rotatably secured to two arms of a crank, and two levers slidably engaged in the tubes for allowing the tubes to move forward and rearward and upward and downward in an elliptical moving stroke.

However, the rear portions of the levers are pivotally secured to the supporting base with a pivot axle such that the rear portions of the levers may be pivoted relative to the supporting base, but may not be moved in different moving strokes relative to the supporting base.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,759,136 to Chen discloses a further typical stationary exerciser comprising a pair of beams each having a front end pivotally coupled to a post with a lever for swinging relative to the post, and a rear end supported for rotational motion about a pivot axis and for allowing the beams to move in an elliptical moving stroke.

However, the rear portions of the beams are rotatably secured to the rotary wheels with eccentric cranks and may only be guided to move in a circular moving path, but may not be moved in different moving strokes relative to the supporting base.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,135,926 to Lee discloses a still further typical stationary exerciser comprising a pair of foot supports each having a front end pivotally coupled to a rotatable crank and each having a rear end supported for swinging motion about an upper pivot rod and for allowing the foot supports to move in an elliptical moving stroke.

However, the rear portions of the foot supports may only be guided to move in a forward and rearward reciprocating action, but may not be moved in different moving strokes relative to the supporting base.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,041,036 to Kuo discloses a still further typical stationary exerciser comprising a pair of foot supports each having a front end pivotally coupled to a downwardly dependent bar with a complicated coupling mechanism and a rear end supported for rotational motion about a pivot axis and for allowing the beams to move in an elliptical moving stroke.

However, similarly, the rear portions of the foot supports are rotatably secured to the rear stay with eccentric cranks and may only be guided to move in a circular moving path, but may not be moved in different moving strokes relative to the supporting base.

The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional stationary exercisers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a stationary exerciser including an improved structure for allowing the rear portion of the stationary exerciser to be moved in different moving strokes.

The other objective of the present invention is to provide a stationary exerciser including an improved structure for allowing the rear portion of the stationary exerciser to be adjusted to different moving strokes.

In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a stationary exerciser comprising a base including an upright support and an upright post extended upwardly therefrom, two handles each including an upper portion pivotally coupled to the upright support with a spindle for allowing the handles to be pivoted and swung relative to the upright support of the base, two foot supports each including a front portion and a rear portion, the front portions of the foot supports being coupled to the handles and arranged to be moved in a reciprocating action relative to the base, two cranks rotatably attached to the upright post of the base with an axle and each having a pivot rod attached thereto and spaced away from the axle, two links pivotally coupled between the pivot rods of the cranks and the rear portions of the foot supports respectively for allowing the rear portions of the foot supports to be swung relative to the cranks and the base, and a connecting device for connecting the foot supports to the cranks for determining a movement of the foot supports relative to the base.

The connecting device includes two levers having an upper end pivotally coupled to the upright post of the base with a pivot shaft, and each having a lower end pivotally coupled to the foot supports with beams, and each having a middle portion pivotally coupled to the cranks with pivot bars.

The cranks each include two crank segments and a rod secured between the crank segments and pivotally coupled to the middle portions of the levers with the pivot bars respectively.

The pivot bars are adjustably secured to the levers respectively. The levers each include a first orifice and at least one second orifice formed therein for adjustably securing the pivot bars respectively.

The base includes a wheel attached to the base with the axle and moved in concert with the axle for resisting a rotational movement of the axle and the cranks. A rotary member may further be provided and attached to the base and coupled to the wheel.

The handles each include a hand grip extended upwardly therefrom, and each include an arm extended outwardly therefrom for allowing the arms to be moved up and down in a reciprocating action relative to the upright support of the base, and each include a lower portion, the front portions of the foot supports are each coupled to the arms of the handles with a stem.

The handles each include a connecting member pivotally coupled between the lower portion of the handle and the foot support. The foot supports each include a foot pedal pivotally coupled to the connecting member.

Further objectives and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a careful reading of the detailed description provided hereinbelow, with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a stationary exerciser in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view of the stationary exerciser;

FIG. 3 is a side plan schematic view of the stationary exerciser;

FIG. 4 is a partial exploded view of the stationary exerciser as seen from the front portion of the stationary exerciser;

FIG. 5 is another partial exploded view of the stationary exerciser as seen from the rear portion of the stationary exerciser; and

FIGS. 6, 7, 8 are side plan schematic views similar to FIG. 3, illustrating the operation of the stationary exerciser.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to the drawings, and initially to FIGS. 1-5, a stationary exerciser 1 in accordance with the present invention comprises a base 10, an upright support 11 extended upwardly from the base 10 for supporting a spindle 12 thereon, a pair of or two handles 20 each include an upper or middle portion 21 attached or secured to the spindle 12 with a barrel 22 for allowing the handles 20 to be pivotally coupled to the upright support 11 with the spindle 12 and for allowing the handles 20 to be pivoted or swung relative to the upright support 11 of the base 10, and a hand grip 23 provided or extended upwardly from the upper or middle portion 21 thereof for being grasped or held or operated by the users, and an arm 24 extended forwardly or outwardly from the upper or middle portion 21 thereof for allowing the arms 24 to be moved or pivoted up and down in a reciprocating action relative to the upright support 11 of the base 10.

A pair of or two foot supports 30 each include a front portion 31 pivotally coupled to the forwardly or outwardly extended arm 24 with a coupling means or device 40 for allowing the front portions 31 of the foot supports 30 to be moved forwardly and rearwardly and upwardly and downwardly in a curved moving stroke relative to the upright support 11 of the base 10 by the coupling means or device 40. For example, the coupling device 40 include a stem 41 having an upper end 42 pivotally coupled to the free end or outer end of each of the arms 24 with a pivot pin 43 and having a lower end 44 pivotally coupled to the front portion 31 of the foot support 30 for pivotally coupling the front portion 31 of the foot support 30 to the arm 24 of the handle 20 and for allowing the front portion 31 of the foot supports 30 to be moved or swung forwardly and rearwardly relative to the arm 24 of the handle 20 and/or relative to the upright post 13 of the base 10 in a curved moving path.

A connecting member 32 includes one end 33 pivotally coupled to the foot support 30, such as pivotally coupled to the middle or lower portion of the foot support 30, and the other end 34 pivotally coupled to the lower portion 25 of the handle 20 with such as a pivot joint 26 for maintaining the arm 24 and the handle 20 and the coupling device 40 and the foot support 30 in place or in position. It is to be noted that the pivotal coupling of the connecting member 32 between the handle 20 and the foot support 30 may maintain the relative coupling of the coupling device 40 between the arm 24 of the handle 20 and the foot support 30 and may maintain the arm 24 of the handle 20 at the forwardly or outwardly extended position relative to the base 10, to allow the arm 24 of the handle 20 and the front portion 31 of the foot support 30 to be moved forwardly and rearwardly and upwardly and downwardly in the curved moving stroke relative to the upright support 11 of the base 10, and to prevent the arm 24 of the handle 20 from being dependent downwardly relative to the upright support 11 of the base 10. It is preferable that the connecting member 32 is disposed beside and parallel to the foot support 30. However, it is to be noted that the foot support 30 may further include an opening (not shown) formed or provided in the front portion 31 thereof for slidably receiving the other end 34 of the connecting member 32.

A pair of or two cranks 50 are rotatably attached or secured to an upright post 13 that is extended upwardly from the rear portion 14 of the base 10 with an axle 15, and the cranks 50 each include a pivot rod 51 provided or attached thereto or extended outwardly therefrom and spaced away from or distal to the axle 15 for pivotally coupling to the rear portion 36 of the foot support 30 with links 52 and for allowing the rear portions 36 of the foot supports 30 to be rotated and swung relative to the upright post 13 of the base 10 in a cycling and/or reciprocating action, and thus for allowing the foot supports 30 to be moved relative to the base 10 in an elliptical moving stroke. The foot supports 30 each include a foot pedal 37 provided thereon for supporting the feet of the users and for allowing the foot pedal 37 to be stepped or moved or operated in the elliptical moving stroke by the users. The one ends 33 of the connecting members 32 may be pivotally coupled to the foot pedals 37 which may be pivotally coupled to the foot supports 30 with pivot poles 38 that are provided on the middle portions 39 of the foot supports 30.

A rotary member or pulley or wheel 60 is attached or secured to the axle 15 and moved or rotated in concert with the axle 15 and the cranks 50, another wheel or pulley or rotary member 61 is rotatably attached to the upright post 13 or the middle or rear portion 14 of the base 10 with a shaft 62, and the rotary member 61 or the shaft 62 is coupled to the wheel 60 with a coupling device 63 which may be selected from such as a sprocket-and-chain coupling device or a gearing coupling device (not shown), or a belt 63 for allowing the rotary member 61 to be rotated or driven by the wheel 60 and the cranks 50. The rotary member 61, the wheel 60 and the shaft 62 are coupled together to form a resistive means or device for applying a resistive force or for resisting the rotational movement of the wheel 60 and the axle 15 and the cranks 50. However, the other resistive device, such as the hydraulic or pneumatic resistive devices (not shown), or the magnetic retarding devices (not shown) may also be used to apply the resistive force against the wheel 60 and the axle 15 and the cranks 50.

The cranks 50 each include two crank segments 53 and a rod 54 secured between the crank segments 53 for allowing the crank segments 53 to be arranged parallel to each other but offset from each other. Two connecting means or devices 70 may further be provided and pivotally coupled between the foot supports 30 and the cranks 50 for determining the movement of the foot supports 30 and/or for adjusting the foot supports 30 to different moving strokes. The connecting means or devices 70 each include a lever 71 having an upper end 72 pivotally coupled to the upright post 13 or the rear portion 14 of the base 10 with a pivot shaft 16, and having a lower end 73 pivotally coupled to the foot supports 30, such as the middle portion 39 of the foot supports 30 with beams 74, and having a middle portion 75 pivotally coupled to the cranks 50, such as the rods 54 of the cranks 50 with pivot bars 55.

For example, the levers 71 each include one or more orifices 76 formed therein, such as formed in the middle portion 75 thereof and communicating with each other, and a fastener 77 may force the pivot bars 55 to selectively engage with either of the orifices 76 of the levers 71 and to adjustably secure the pivot bars 55 to the levers 71 at the selected or different positions, and thus for adjustably securing the levers 71 to the cranks 50, and thus for indirectly and adjustably securing the foot support 30 to the cranks 50. It is to be noted that the pivot bars 55 may adjustably secure the levers 71 to the cranks 50 such that the movement of the foot support 30 relative to the upright post 13 of the base 10 may be suitably adjusted and such that the moving stroke of the foot support 30 relative to the base 10 may also be suitably adjusted.

It is to be noted that the example of the coupling of the front portions 31 of the foot supports 30 to the base 10 has been disclosed and filed in a co-pending patent application, however, the front portions 31 of the foot supports 30 may also be coupled to the front portion of the base 10 with curved tracks (not shown), downwardly dependent or swing arms (not shown), or rotary members or pulleys or wheels or rollers (not shown) or other coupling devices (not shown) which may pivotally couple and support the front portions of the foot supports 30 to the front portion of the base 10 or may allow the front portions 31 of the foot supports 30 to be moved in a cycling or forward and rearward reciprocating action relative to the front portion of the base 10.

The present invention is to provide a pivotal coupling of the connecting means or devices 70 between the foot supports 30 and the cranks 50 to maintain the relative coupling of the connecting means or devices 70 and the link 52 between the cranks 50 and the foot support 30, for determining the movement of the foot supports 30 and/or for allowing the rear portions 36 of the foot supports 30 to be moved relative to the base 10 in an elliptical moving path (FIGS. 6-8), and/or for adjusting the foot supports 30 to different moving strokes. The typical stationary exercisers failed to provide the foot supports that include a rear portion moveable relative to the base 10 in an elliptical moving path, and also failed to provide the foot supports that may be adjusted to different moving strokes relative to the base 10.

Accordingly, the stationary exerciser in accordance with the present invention includes an improved structure for allowing the front portion of the stationary exerciser to be in different moving strokes, and for allowing the rear portion of the stationary exerciser to be adjusted to different moving strokes.

Although this invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is to be understood that the present disclosure has been made by way of example only and that numerous changes in the detailed construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed. 

1. A stationary exerciser comprising: a base including an upright support and an upright post extended upwardly therefrom, two handles each including an upper portion pivotally coupled to said upright support with a spindle for allowing said handles to be pivoted and swung relative to said upright support of said base, two foot supports each including a front portion and a rear portion, said front portions of said foot supports being coupled to said handles and arranged to be moved in a reciprocating action relative to said base, two cranks rotatably attached to said upright post of said base with an axle and each having a pivot rod attached thereto and spaced away from said axle, said cranks each including two crank segments and a rod secured between said crank segments, two links pivotally coupled between said pivot rods of said cranks and said rear portions of said foot supports respectively for allowing said rear portions of said foot supports to be swung relative to said cranks and said base, and two levers including an upper end pivotally coupled to said upright post of said base with a pivot shaft, and each including a lower end pivotally coupled to said foot supports with beams, and said levers each including a middle portion pivotally coupled to said rods of said cranks with pivot bars respectively for connecting said foot supports to said cranks and for determining a movement of said foot supports relative to said base. 2-3. (canceled)
 4. The stationary exerciser as claimed in claim 1, wherein said pivot bars are adjustably secured to said levers respectively.
 5. The stationary exerciser as claimed in claim 4, wherein said levers each include a first orifice and at least one second orifice formed therein for adjustably securing said pivot bars respectively.
 6. The stationary exerciser as claimed in claim 1, wherein said base includes a wheel attached to said base with said axle and moved in concert with said axle for resisting a rotational movement of said axle and said cranks.
 7. The stationary exerciser as claimed in claim 6, wherein a rotary member is attached to said base and coupled to said wheel.
 8. The stationary exerciser as claimed in claim 1, wherein said handles each include a hand grip extended upwardly therefrom, and each include an arm extended outwardly therefrom for allowing said arms to be moved up and down in a reciprocating action relative to said upright support of said base, and each include a lower portion, said front portions of said foot supports are each coupled to said arms of said handles with a stem.
 9. The stationary exerciser as claimed in claim 1, wherein said handles each include a connecting member pivotally coupled between said lower portion of said handle and said foot support.
 10. The stationary exerciser as claimed in claim 9, wherein said foot supports each include a foot pedal pivotally coupled to said connecting member. 